is my pleasure to introduce to you the first edition of
Rainbow News, a publication of EQUAL GROUND. In
this issue we strive to give the reader a cross-section of news,
events, articles and poetry by the Gay community for the

lnside fhis issue.'

center and a mat
weaving center in
Batticaloa for 2 of

the

ILGA World Conference

communities

affected by the Tsu-

Adam and Steve

Cay community.

nami. (For those interested in our Tsunami

Contact details

For those of you who are not familliar with EQUAL
GROUND and its work, let me begin by giving you, the

efforts, please get in
touch with the office
for details).

reader, a brief history of the organisation.

In the summer of 2004, a group of friends decided to form
an organisation that would represent LGBTIQ persons
in Sri Lanka in a manner that would evoke Pride and
acceptance both within the LGBTIQ community, as well
as society at

large. EQUAL GROUND is the only

organization in Sri Lanka that includes Lesbians, Gay
men, Bisexuals, Tiansgender, Intersex, Questioning and
Other (straight, supportive) folks who are interested in an
equitable status for all citizens of this country, regardless

of

ethnicity, religion, caste, class, sexual orientation and
gender identity. In particular it focuses on issues of
inequaliry discrimination and marginalization of LGBTIQ
persons across the entire populace ofSri Lanka.

In the almost 2
GROUND

years since

its inception, EQUAL

groundbreaking experiences which were
highlighted by the publishing of a booklet entitled Human,
has had

Right? and the first-ever Gay Pride event in Sri Lanka
(2005). This event included over 300 people of mixed sexual
orientations and gender identities coming together in an
amazingaffirmation of solidarity to celebrate PRIDE. This
was followed by a week long celebration of PRIDE in May
2006, which is the first time an event of this nature was
attempted in Sri Lanka. \7e are hrppy to report that it was
an enormous succâ&#x201A;ŹsS; and we thank our supporters and
donors for making this possible.

Much of 2005 was also spent in assisting Tsunami affected
persons in the South and the East. In an outpouring of
love and solidariry LGBT persons and other supporters
donated money to the EQUAL GROUND Tsunami
Relief and Reconstruction fund. These funds were used to
aid the survivors of the devastating Tsunami of December
2005. As part of this program, we established a sewing

Through our monthly

members meetings,
PRIDE, events and our
work as a Human fughts
organisation, EQUAL
GROUND is committed
to elevating the status
of the LGBTIQ community while simultaneously
giving the many
disempowered men, women and transgender individuals
a sense ofbelonging, a sense ofPride and a sense of
ac-

complishment.

Ve hope you will join

us as we stride toward our future

with renewed vigour and commitment to make Sri Lanka
a place that we all can live in, devoid of fear, stigmatiza-

Doctor Tom Waddell, a decathlon competitor at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, conceived this athletic event as
an opportunity for gay people to demonstrate to the world that their skills and competitive spirits in sports parallel those of
the rest of humanity and to show how "normal" gays tend to be in comparison to the stereotypes. He wanted to replace the
obsession to win at all costs with the positive joys of simple participation. These games would require no minimum ability
for participation. Winning would be defined as achieving one's personal best. Competition would not stress nationalism
or age, and men and women would compete on an equal basis. Tom Waddell felt Nationalism was a unity-breaking
concept, so athletes were encouraged to represent their city rather than their country.
A group called San Francisco Arts and Athletics (SFAA) was formed. Two years were spent in the planning of this event,

which was to be called GAY OLYMPIC GAMES. Opening ceremonies were planned for August 28, 1982,* and TINA
TURNER agreed to perform. Three weeks before the opening, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) obtained
and injunction in federal court prohibiting the use of the word "Olympic". The GAY GAMES without the use of the word
"Olympic" were held atKezar Stadium in San Francisco on schedule. The Master of Ceremonies was Armistead Maupin,
author of "Tales of the City".
* Rosanna
and Tami were privileged to have witnessed the first Gay Games held

in

San Francisco in August

Doctor Tom Waddell, founder of the Gay Games,
died of AIDS on July 11,1987

of 1982

RrrNeow News

Voluue l. Issue I
P,qcr 4

e'do: €900

zoor

ILGA

2006

At the reccently concluded International
Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA)
\World Conference in Geneva
(29'h March 03'd April 2006) Rosanna

"l was given a medal of honour for killing two men and a discharge for loving

one" - Oscar Wilde

Picture this. A young couple walking hand -in- hand, exchanging sweet nothings and gazing into each others eyes,
as through nothing else in the world mattered. "Ah, young love ...." many would exclam. "How lovely!"
Now just take that exact same image and subsitute one of the two partners with one belonging to his / her own sex.

They may as well be volunteering to be burnt at the stake. Numerous allegations would be thrown their way of
flaunting their sexuality or promoting lheir' lifestyle.
Heterosexuls are free to talk about their spouses or dates. They can wear their wedding rings, display pictures of
their loved ones on their desks, kiss good-bye at the airport, include their signficant other in company parties and so
on. A gay person who chooses to do the same may be seen as a troublemaker or a radical homosexual out to prove
a point.

Lives of gays and lesbians are as
varied as the lives of heterosexuals.

Some choose to live in long
term - commited relationships;
others choose to remain single.
Some couples choose to raise
children, others do not. Hobbies,
Occupations and activities are just
as varied as within the heterosexual

population.

or
couPtes (gaY
all
Shoutd
"tir,gnO
have to disclose

-';;;

to

sexuat Practices
to ensttre that
the wortd'
to the
i(s in adherence
taw?

What the majority of people mean
when they say that homosexual

people should keep their lives
private, is that homosexual people

should keep their lives secret.
Contrary to popular belief, homosexuals are no more inclined to be
consumed with sexual thought or

feelings than their heterosexual
counterparts, nor are they attracted

to everyone of the same sex they
meet!

So why is there this great cry made by society whenever the issue of homosexuallty is raised? ls it a fear of change,
an anger derived from ignorance or is it purely choosing to be in denial of its quite apparent existence?

Don't get me wrong, l'am very God fearing, faithful Catholic and am aware that the church doesn't quite approve
of homosexuality. lt's quite ironic through isn't it, how there are so many everyday things that are condemned
by

VoLuur
Pacn

l.

Issue

R.qtNeow Npws

I

9

the Bible such as the consumption of alcohol, having tattoos done, lying, committing adultery, stealing etc..., that the
common man easily overlooks. ls this because society tends to adhere to a type of unwritten rule that enables them
to continue certain practices which they deem to be less sinful than others or what?

Call me old fashioned, but I wasn't aware that there were different degrees of sin under God's law. Neither was
I aware that the Bible had given the majority the right to use their own discreation to decipher what falls under the
category of sinful and what should not.
It's either all or nothing if you ask me, so, if one is to interpret the Bible literally, word for word, the choice is all yours.
But it's not as easy as you thought huh?

A word to the wise: ln our selective pursult of what we consider righteous, let's not overlook one of the most
fundamental values upheld by the Bible - "love your neighbour as yourself". Cliche as it may sound, this is one
Commandment that has withstood the test of time, as there's no room for interpretation. lt is as it is.
I firmly believe God loves us all, irrespective of caste, creed, religion and even SEXUALITY. Jesus spent most of this
time with the downtrodden and the outcasts of society (as started in the Bible). He loved each and every one of us
for who we were, not what we were.

I should add that most of us are ridden with severe bouts of 'convenient amnesia'. This enables us to remember only
certain details and data that best supports our cause.

It's not just about religion, the random

in our country it's also against the law
relationships. Section 365 of the Penal
participate in homosexual acitivity under
partake in unnatural sex.

fi hers

,,il1)EER'.' ' he's

no good

'homophobic' atheist will tell you that
to partake in homosexual activity/
Code makes it a criminal offence to
the basis that it's an offence to

Ever wondered how many heterosexual couples indulge in 'supposed' unnatural sex? What then? Should all couples (gay or straight) have to disclose their sexual practices to the world, to ensure that it is in adherence to the law?
I think not. Then why the double standard?

Does anybody pay any heed to the number of lesbian/gay
suicides in our country? Well, maybe it's time we did, cos' each
and every one of us 'have blood on our hands'. Why you ask?
Because we, the masses make up society at large. We discriminate againest those different from us. We ostracize them from the

rest of society. We virtually drive them to their deaths.
i

As kids it's inculcated into our heads that Heterosexuality

= Normal and Homosexuality = Abnormal. Therefore, we grow
up in an environment of 'Black or White;'there are no grey areas.

lr
I

He might be the most helpful neighbour, the most caring brother,
the most duty conscious employee, the most loyal friend or the
most loving partner. But, if he's "QUEER" , he's no good.

\,i

!.

r\r
['

,,li

'/'

1
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Voluvs l, Issue
PAGE

I

RerNsow News

l0

GAY IRANIAN TEENAGERS REMEMBERED
Two gay teenagers were publicly executed in lran on

19 July 2005 for the 'crime' of Homosexuality. The
Youths were hanged in Edalat (Justice) Square in the

city of Mashhad, in north east lran. They were
sentenced to death by Court No. 19. lran enforces
lslamic Sharia law, which dictates the death penalty
for gay sex.

One youth was aged 18, and the other was a minor
under the age of 18. They were only identified by
their initials, M.A. and A.M. They admitted - probably
undertorture, London-based gay human rights group
Outrage! suggests - to having gay sex with each other,
and that they were not aware that homosexulity was
punishable by death.

,:f"'::ffi,t

Prior to their execution, the teenagers were held in
prison for 14 months and severely beaten wilh 228
lashes.

Demontrations and vigils were organized all over the world on July 19 2006, the first anniversary of the public
hanging of the two gay lranian teenagers, Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni.
Groups in Amsterdam, London, Marseille, New York, Provincetown, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco,
Stockholm, Provincetown, Washionton D. C. staged demontrations, vigils, or public events July 19, at the call of
the Persian Gay and Lesbian Organisation (PGLO). The initative was sponsored by the lnternaiional Day Against
Homophobia (IDAHO), the lnternational Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), the lnternational Gay and teibiun
Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), the Biritish gay rights group OutRage and the Swidish groupTupilak.
These demonstrations are intended to help call attention to the homophobic reign of terrior, which the regime in lran
is inflicting on its lesbian and gay citizens and as testimony of the soildarity of all gay communities worldwide with
their persecuted lranian sisters and brothers.

After almost ten weeks in Sri Lanka, I am slowly preparing to go home. My
time here has been spent doing
and seeing some incredible things, and l'm truly grateful for t[e opportunity
I had to come and work here.
When I arrived on 7 May, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. My time in the Repbulic
of Ceorgia as
a volunteer and my international development class work in America had
not covered the realm of lCAftq
issues in development, something I have been interested in for quite
some time. So I jumped at the
opportunity to intern for the summer with an LCBTIe organization.
Now, nine weeks later, I know quite a bit more about LCBTIQ issues in development,
as well as life for the
LCBTIQ community in Sri Lanka. Something I was completely clueless about
before. I am throughly
impressed with the passion and dedication of those of you involved in EeUAL
CROUND : staff, trustees,
members and volunteers. While Pride 2006 was not my first or last
here, it will most definitly
"*p"ri"n."
stand out in my mind as one of the most powerful. I am lucky to live
a country that, while not perfect for
homosexuls, allows us to live without fear of imprisonment, extortion, or harassment
by the police. But
even with those threats in Sri Lanka during Pride I witnessed a group of individuals,
who were able to
celebrate their identities without the shame that society oftentimes inflicts on the
LCBTIe community. lt was
during this week that I saw the definition of the word community breing truly displayed.
I was very pleased to see such a large turn-out at pride events, and
was equally as pleased to see that sucess
turn into an incresed membership in EQUAL GROUND. Having worked with numerous facets
of EeUAL
cRoUND, I know that there are many things to look forward to in the future and many ways in which this
organization can have an impact not only in the LCBTIQ community, but also in Sri Lankan
society at large.

This is a beautiful country with an amazingly diverse landscape and extremly hospitable people.
I believe
that with time and effort, the goals of organizations like EQUAL GROUND wili
be achieved, making it easier
for everyone in the LGBTIQ community to enjoy the wonderful things that Sri
Lanka has to offer. I Jnticipate
hearing of the LcBTIQ community's many sucessses over the upcoming years.
Cood luck to all ll!